Russian National Identity and Foreign Policy

December 12, 2016

This report analyzes how Russia’s domestic discourses on national identity—including beliefs about the self and the world, as well as interpretations of historic legacies—influence foreign policy and why this impact became particularly strong in the 2012–2016 period. It traces the role of domestic narratives in shaping international behavior to enhance our understanding of how and when major foreign policy shifts take place.